[FunctionalShaker]

Eaglesan, Everyone should do a topic search first, that way we can revive old related threads rather than continue to add new ones. Many times the answer/info. we seek has already been posted.

Do we know when the lights/wiper holes changed?

Also, when the small fuel/volt gauge bezel rings went from thin to thick/shallow to deep?

[eaglesan13]

I agree, we should all be doing a search first.

On the light/wiper question, they had separate openings up until 72, then in 73 it went to a single opening for both.

I'm not sure what you mean on the thick/thin bezel ring question. My understanding is that the small center ring is thick to match the tach and speedo rings, (trans am) while the other rings (2 rings if no a/c, or 4 if equipped with a/c) were thin. These are pictures of the rings in my 71 trans am after getting the originals rechromed.

Originally Posted by FunctionalShaker

Eaglesan, Everyone should do a topic search first, that way we can revive old related threads rather than continue to add new ones. Many times the answer/info. we seek has already been posted.

Do we know when the lights/wiper holes changed?

Also, when the small fuel/volt gauge bezel rings went from thin to thick/shallow to deep?

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by FunctionalShaker

... Also, when the small fuel/volt gauge bezel rings went from thin to thick/shallow to deep?
...
To clarify: From looking at later bezels, it appears that the thin rings were replaced by the thicker style at some point. Just wondering if we know when?

...

I believe you are mistaken.

the aluminum turned dash insert used on the Trans Am's always used the "thick" gauge rings - always.

The 70-72 non-TA wood grain dash insert was actually a wholly different part, which had formed openings for the center gauge cluster, and this is why the two large, and small center pods used a thin ring;
If either of the rally gauge options were ordered, the rings used for the separate pod were the thick style rings that the TA used - albeit left in as molded black.

As i see it, essentialy for the 1973 model year there were two things done to streamline Firebird dash insert production;
1) the two small openings for he wiper switch were replaced with a single larger opening (probably easier to manufacture and assemble)
2) the Trans Am and non-TA dash inserts both used what I see as being the same stamping for the back of the dash insert - this necessitated that they all used the same style gauge rings